Opposition Senator Francis N. Pangilinan said today, July 1, the Senate should initiate an investigation into the fatal shooting of four Philippine Army (PA) intelligence officers by Philippine National Police (PNP) personnel in Jolo.
The Senate inquiry, according to Pangilinan, should shed light on the incident and give justice to the victims.
“Nakakabahala ang balitang ito. Ngayon pa lang na hindi pa batas ang anti-terrorism (ATB) bill, may nangyayari nang ganito. Ano na lang ang laban ng ordinaryong tao (This report is unsettling. This incident takes place at a time that the ATB has not been enacted into law),” he said.
Pangilinan said an independent and impartial investigation would help bring out the truth so that the victims and their families find justice.
The national government has tasked the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to conduct a probe on the alleged encounter as heads of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the PNP agreed that an independent body should conduct an impartial probe.
Based on initial reports, Pangilinan noted at least two versions of the incident coming from the military and police.
“We should be going after the common enemy -- terrorists, drug lords, armed groups, and in this time of the (coronavirus disease) COVID-19 pandemic-- not against each other,” Pangilinan said.